Everlasting Bond

by Christine M. Besze

  “Sure you do,” he teased. “When you try to hide something you bite down on your bottom lip.”

  “I do not.” Katrina felt her face grow warm and tingly.

  “And when you’re flustered your face turns a bright shade of pink.”

  Crap! Donovan was more perceptive than she had given him credit for.

  “You can tell me the truth. I won’t bite,” he winked.

  She let out a big sigh before she finally answered him. “It was Mason Winchester.”

  “Seems kind of rough for a class game?”

  “That's because Mason isn’t that friendly. He and Brody were messing with my brother and I defended him. What Mason did was payback.”

  “That seems harsh.”

  “Brody and Mason think they own this place. I just wish once someone would teach those jerks a lesson.”

  “Want me to talk to him?”

  “Knowing them, it won’t do much good.”

  “I don’t know about that. I can be very persuasive.”

  “Thanks, but I rather just forget about it.”

  “If you’re sure…” Donovan looked a little disappointed.

  “Yeah, I am,” she nodded.

  He quickly changed the subject. “We’re here.”

  Katrina couldn’t exit the car fast enough. Any opportunity to avoid continuing that awkward conversation she welcomed. She was trying so hard to be nice and let him down easy, but he was relentless and this she feared could become an even bigger problem.

  Chapter 14

  Stacy had slept through the entire weekend. Katrina occasionally checked on her, but for the most part she was alone. Katrina slinked around the house doing little odds and ends to keep occupied, but her mind always wandered. She was relieved Donovan had prior commitments he needed to attend to. This kept him busy the rest of the weekend and out of her hair. He had explained it was something to do with his aunt, but Katrina hadn’t been paying too much attention. Her overworked mind was elsewhere and couldn’t absorb any more information.

  Andrew’s annoying phone call Saturday evening left her feeling uneasy. He was very vague on Jake’s condition. Only giving her simple one-word answers was annoying as hell. When she had tried to press the issue Andrew grew agitated with her and he changed the subject. He offered another generic excuse on his absence from school this week before hanging up.

  Katrina was so frustrated with him she wanted to crush her phone into a million little pieces. In the end, she knew it would only make her feel worse. Not to mention it would leave her without a phone. She was getting more and more agitated by the minute.

  Being cooped up all alone was adding to her crappy mood and it was starting to take its toll on her. Not knowing how her family was doing was eating away at her. She was stressing herself out and wanted to know what was happening.

  Since birth, she had always had a special bond with her brother and now she had no one. Her best friend was consumed with her love life, her mother was recovering from the accident, Jake was who knows where turning into who knows what, and the one person Katrina needed most was gone. For the first time in her life, she felt abandoned.

  Monday and Tuesday, Katrina robotically went through the motions of her daily routine. One bonus for Katrina came unexpectedly. Ms. Stevenson announced Brody’s parents had taken him out of school. They were taking him on a business trip with them and he would be gone the remainder of the year. She was slightly relieved. That was one obstacle down and however many more to go.

  At lunch time, Donovan had become a permanent fixture. Taking his seat between her and Stacy, he was becoming part of the group. Most of lunchtime was spent watching Stacy flirt with Donovan every chance she could. While Donovan did his best to pretend he didn't notice. It was becoming a soap opera and each time Katrina tried to ignore feeling like a third wheel.

  Wednesday’s lunch at least gave her a break from that awkward scenario. Instead of spending lunch replaying the dreaded scene, the school gave them a change of scenery. The two went to the football team’s pep rally. Of course, so did Donovan.

  Walking inside the gymnasium, Katrina could see rows of students already seated. The gym was just big enough to hold the entire school, but since Morgan Springs High didn't have more than a few hundred students, that wasn't saying much. The honey colored wooden planks on the gym floor looked worse off than they really were under the bad florescent lighting. Wooden windows wrapped around the top half of the building, but didn't help to add anymore light to the inside.

  As Katrina slid into a narrow rectangular bench, it was cold and hard against her back. Screams and cheers from the crowd echoed off the gym’s dingy white walls as the cheerleaders rushed in, led by the bubbliest blonde at Morgan Springs High, Cynthia Sanders. The football team came crashing right behind them.

  The entire team was dressed in their best jerseys, as they rallied the crowd up for the game on Friday. Purple and black paint decorated their faces. Cynthia's blue eyes glistened with excitement as she and the rest of the cheerleaders danced their way through the crowd, working everyone into an excited frenzy. Cynthia's energy was always over the top and she certainly had enough to go around. Even Katrina was starting to get into it and it had been a while since she'd done that.

  Between the pep rally and Stacy boasting about the dance, the rest of the day flew by. It wasn't until she found herself home and getting ready for bed that her depressing mood was back.

  She tried not to let her loneliness get the best of her; it was difficult. A week of being alone was starting to take its toll. She kept hoping it was all a dream and that Jake would be walking through that door any minute, laughing at some private joke, but it never happened. Frustrated, she went to bed and hoped the next day would be better.

  * * *

  Walking to school, Katrina was glad it was already Thursday. School was becoming tougher for her to get through. The chilly October weather didn’t help her mood.

  She was pissed she forgot her jacket and was freezing. This time of year the weather changed so quick, she knew better than to leave home without one. She just had so much going on in her head that certain things slipped her mind lately.

  The more her body shivered the more she wondered if riding the bus would have been a better idea. Then she flashed back to the nasty odor of the bus seats and the overflowing crowd of lusty hormonal freshmen in such a confined space. Nope. She definitely made the better choice. She would rather walk in the freezing cold with hypothermia about to set in, rather than deal with any of that crap.

  Katrina’s teeth chattered, as the icy wind picked up speed and cut through her thin blouse like razors. The clanking of her teeth smacking together echoed so loudly in her ears that she didn’t hear the car pull up next to her.

  “KATRINA!” It took her a second to be sure if she really heard a voice or if she was imagining it. Katrina turned her now numb body in the direction of the noise and she wasn't going crazy. Donovan was staring at her.

  “What are you doing? It’s freezing outside. Come on, I’ll give you a ride.” He opened the door and waited for her.

  Katrina hesitated at first, but her cold achy body liked the promise of warmth. She slid her frost-bitten body into the car and cried in relief as the heater hit her skin. Chills convulsed inside her, as the warm temperature change made its way into her body.

  “Take this.” Donovan offered her his thick wool jacket.

  Katrina tried to grab it, but her hands were so cold she couldn't get them to work.

  “Here. I'll do it.” Donovan draped the jacket around her and Katrina caught a slight scent in the air. She bent her head and subtly smelled his jacket. The outdoor musty scent was odd yet familiar. It reminded her of a pine scented air freshener, but this had more of a sweetness to it. She couldn’t quite put her finger on what the scent reminded her of, but she knew she had smelled it somewhere before.

  “Th-Th-Th-anksss.” She squeezed his jacket around her tighter.
<
br />   “I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner.” Donovan rubbed his hands against Katrina's arms to warm her up faster. “You feeling any better?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Why were you trying to walk in this?”

  “I hate riding the bus.”

  “But it’s freezing out here. Are you insane?” he scolded.

  “I know. I just have a lot on my mind and guess I didn’t think about it until it was too late.” She turned her head away from him. Tears were welling up under her eyes. She wasn’t sure why her emotions chose that moment to get the better of her.

  “Katrina.”

  “What?” She still couldn’t look at him.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.” Donovan’s hand gently squeezed her shoulder.

  She sniffled. It took everything in her to make her voice sound calm. “You didn’t.”

  Judging by the way his tone softened, he knew she was about to come unglued. Katrina was just thankful he changed the subject.

  “You know, your house is on my way.” His fingers turned her face towards his. “I can pick you up and take you home, if you like. It’s no trouble.”

  “I’d like that.” She didn’t want to imagine what would have happened if he hadn’t come along when he did.

  “Are you going to go to the game tomorrow night?” Donovan asked.

  “Unfortunately.”

  “Don’t sound too excited,” he teased.

  “It’s just I’m not really into the whole football thing.”

  “Me neither. Funny, I thought I was the only one,” he laughed. “Why are you going then?”

  “Stacy loves them, so I go with her,” she confessed.

  The longer they sat in the car, the more Katrina's body was defrosting. Every muscle in her body started to work again. At the same time her body shuddered in pain. The strange burning sensation was back and this time it was getting worse.

  “That’s decent of you.”

  Katrina attempted to smile at his remark, but the scorching heat of the amulet was becoming more intense.

  “Are you going to the dance?” Katrina asked, trying to distract herself.

  “I am. You?”

  She nodded. “Stacy would kill me if I didn’t.” She casually pulled the amulet from underneath her shirt and breathed a sigh of relief. Normally, she kept it hidden to avoid anyone seeing it but this time she didn’t care.

  “You two are close, aren’t you?” His eyes briefly flickered to the amulet and then back to her as he spoke.

  “She’s my best friend. I don’t know what I’d do without her.” Katrina squirmed. Her body felt like it was on fire.

  “You’re sweating. You’re not getting sick, are you?” He put a hand to her forehead to check her temperature.

  “No. I’m fine. Just finally warming up and my necklace keeps getting caught on my shirt.” She reasoned, careful not to bite down on her bottom lip. The last thing she needed was him interrogating her.

  “If it bothers you, then why don’t you just take it off?”

  “I can’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because it’s special to me. It’s a family heirloom.”

  “Oh.” He raised an eyebrow.

  “It sounds stupid, doesn’t it?”

  “No, not at all. I know exactly what you mean. I have some family heirlooms of my own, lying around at home,” Donovan sympathized.

  “Thanks.”

  “Anytime.” Donovan’s face took on a serious expression. “Katrina?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’m just curious. If you don’t like sports, what do you like?”

  “I like to go down to the creek and watch the stars. It’s where I go to clear my head.” Blood rushed to her face in embarrassment. “That sounded really cliché, didn't it?”

  “Not at all. It sounds peaceful.”

  “It is. You should try it,” she said, giving him a smile.

  “Saturday the weathers supposed to be warmer and clear. What would you think of showing me your favorite spot?”

  “I’ll be at the dance.”

  “How about after?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Come on,” he pleaded.

  “Stacy will probably want to come too.”

  He nodded in agreement. “Of course. Bring her along.”

  “Okay.”

  Driving into the school’s now crowded parking lot, Katrina found Stacy bundled up out front waiting for her. It was obvious by the confused look on her face that she wasn’t expecting Donovan to be with her.

  “Hey,” Stacy smiled, as she walked up to the passenger side. “I was wondering if I was going to be the only one here.”

  “Sorry about that. I found Katrina freezing to death on the side of the road and offered her a ride,” Donovan explained, walking over to the two girls.

  “Oh.” Stacy’s eyes zoned in on Donovan’s charcoal coat that was still wrapped around Katrina. Katrina quickly slinked her way out of the wool coat and handed it back to Donovan. He looked at her confused, but took it without saying a word.

  The three of them walked in uncomfortable silence the rest of the way, through the school’s eggshell white wooden doors.

  “I’ll see you guys at lunch,” Donovan said, as he turned towards his class.

  Katrina gave him a slight wave goodbye, as he disappeared down the hall leaving her alone with Stacy. She could still feel Stacy looking at her funny, but she thought it was just her imagination.

  “So, do you have any plans for after the dance?” Katrina asked, trying to break the tension.

  “You’re a bitch!” Stacy snapped, before turning on her heels and entering Ms. Stevenson’s classroom. Katrina stood there shocked and hurt. What the hell! She couldn't believe that just happened. In all their years of friendship, Stacy had never done that to her, ever. Tears stung her eyes, as she lowered her head and quietly took her seat.

  Ms. Stevenson’s class dragged by slowly for Katrina. It was smothered in a blur of ramblings she was too upset to comprehend. After class, Katrina waited by the door hoping to explain the situation to Stacy. However, Stacy had no desire to hear Katrina’s side. She gave her a dirty look that stopped Katrina where she stood and kept walking.

  Up until lunch, Stacy had managed to avoid her altogether. Luckily, Katrina knew her class schedule and knew exactly where she would be before lunch. She felt a bit sneaky planning an ambush, but it was the only way she could get Stacy to listen.

  Rounding the corner of the crowded corridor, she found her walking alone. She knew if Stacy made it into the cafeteria, then she would lose her. Katrina wasted no time. She grabbed Stacy by the arm and pulled her aside by the plum lockers.

  “Let go of me, Katrina Davenport. I have nothing to say to you. I’ve been your friend for years and this is the thanks I get!”

  “Listen to me, please.”

  “Why should I?”

  “Because, you’re my best friend.”

  “Fine. You’ve got 10 seconds.”

  “Nothing happened. He offered me a ride and we made plans for Saturday night after the dance.”

  “Uh-huh. I’m out of here.”

  “For the 3 of us! That’s it,” Katrina quickly added, reaching for Stacy’s shoulder. “Stace, you’re my best friend and I’d never do that to you. Never. You have to believe me.”

  Katrina bit her lip and waited in anticipation. Stacy's wheels were turning and she was deliberating everything Katrina had said. It was the longest few seconds of Katrina's life. Then the water works started. Tears welled up in Stacy's eyes. She threw her arms around Katrina and squeezed. Her grip was so tight, Katrina could barely breathe.

  “Kat, I’m so sorry. I can’t believe I’d ever think that. About you of all people.”

  “I forgive you. I guess,” Katrina smiled, playfully rolling her eyes. She was glad to have her friend back.

  “Gee, how kind of you.” Wiping her eyes, Stacy asked, “S
o, where are we going?”

  “What?”

  “After the dance?”

  “Oh, that. I was telling Donovan about the amazing view of the stars out at Dead Man’s Point. I thought it might help set the mood,” Katrina grinned, as she raised her hands and used air quotes to emphasize the word.

  “Aw, thanks Kat. We better go before Donovan’s left by himself and those cheerleaders start to circle him like vultures,” Stacy teased, grabbing Katrina and rushing to the cafeteria.

  Katrina watched Stacy’s face light up like a Christmas tree as soon as she saw Donovan. He was waiting like a devoted and loyal puppy at their usual table. Stacy waved and gave him a flirtatious smile. As they walked over to him, Katrina was happy things were back to normal—between her and Stacy at least. Her other problems were a whole different set of issues to work on later.

  “I was wondering where you two disappeared to,” Donovan said, giving both girls a playful smirk.

  “Sorry, we had some girl stuff to take care of,” Stacy said, sitting down next to Donovan.

  “Yeah, girl talk,” Katrina smiled at Stacy, taking her seat opposite Donovan.

  “Anything interesting?”

  “Actually, I was filling Stacy in on our plans for Saturday night.”

  “Oh.”

  “Yeah, that sounds like it’ll be a lot of fun. I can’t wait. You should come with us to the game too,” Stacy said.

  “Sounds good. A night out with my two favorite locals,” Donovan joked.

  The rest of lunch, Katrina spent watching Stacy babble about the next night. Excitement oozed out of her entire body over the plans they were making. Katrina laughed as Stacy took her bubbly personality to a whole new level. Her mind was running wild with so many ideas for tomorrow. It was like watching someone open the floodgates and there was no stopping her.

  Katrina found it amusing and just sat back enjoying her best friend’s quirkiness. With each word, Stacy’s voice grew louder in excitement. Katrina had to admit Donovan was a trooper. He nodded and listened to all of Stacy’s harebrained ideas for the following night without a word.

  After lunch, the group separated. Donovan took his usual solo route to his class, while Katrina and Stacy made their way in the opposite direction. The whole way to class Stacy never stopped talking. The only thing keeping the conversation from being entirely one sided was an occasional nod of agreement from Katrina. Finally coming to the last fork in the hall, Stacy walked into her class and Katrina headed one door over to her English class.